Home For The HolidaysGULF STREAM, FLA. (December 21)- - Jeff Gordon's
off-season schedule tends to resemble his schedule during the racing season.
The only thing missing are the race weekends. In the weeks before Christmas,
Gordon participated in a number of promotional campaigns on behalf of
Quaker State, Pepsi, and Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse.
His schedule relaxed
during Christmas and New Year's. "Brooke and I always
spend Christmas in our home in Florida with our families. It is great
to be at home over the holidays since we spend so much time
traveling during the year. Christmas morning is great and Brooke
always figures out exactly what I need or want.
She makes it so special because she really puts thought into her gifts."
When January rolls around, the DuPont team will kick it into high
gear once again. Their first track test will be a three
day session at Daytona International
Speedway from January 7-9. "I'm excited about it," Gordon said.
"Normally this time of the season I'm ready to take a rest and just sit at
home and try not to think about racing. But right now, that's all I can
think about. It's because of this team. This team has really stepped up to
another level and I think they have another step left in them.
As well as they came together this year, I think they're only going to
mature and grow and get even better. That inspires me. I look forward to
working with them and having another great year."

Keeper Of The FlameALONG A1A IN FLA. (December 8)- - Jeff Gordon
participated in the Olympic Torch relay on Friday afternoon in Daytona
Beach, Florida. Gordon held a brief press conference at Daytona
International Speedway before being taken to Peninsula Drive and
International Speedway Boulevard where he carried the torch 2/10th of a
mile shortly after 4 pm. The caravan of floats and police escorts,
including an open truck carrying the torch flame, rolled in from Interstate
95 and arrived at Granada Boulevard and A1A.
There, a runner lit a torch from the truck cauldron and began the relay
through Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach.
On Thursday, Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt Jr,
and Teresa Earnhardt carried the torch in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Olympic Torch will travel for more than 13,500 miles in
65 days through 46 states leading up to its arrival in Salt Lake City, Utah
on February 8 for the beginning of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Driver Of The YearNEW YORK, N.Y. (December 5)- - On the heels
of winning the 2001 Winston Cup title, Jeff Gordon
was named Driver Of The Year for the fourth time. He also
received the honor when he won the championship in
1995, 1997, and 1998. Gordon was selected over
other champions-- Kevin Harvick in Busch Grand National, Gil de Ferran in CART, Sam Hornish in the Indy Racing
League, Kenny Bernstein in the National Hot Rod Association,
and Danny Lasoski in World of Outlaws sprint cars. Gordon has
won the award more than any driver in history. Darrell Waltrip
and Mario Andretti both won the award three times, which has been given
annually since 1967.
The selection is made by a 16-member panel
of motorsports writers and broadcasters. Gordon received 13 out of 16
first place votes. Harvick, de Ferran, and Bernstein each received single votes.
Gordon's selection marked the fifth
consecutive year-- and the 14th time in 28 years-- that a Winston Cup driver
has been chosen. "It's been an amazing year for me," Gordon said after
receiving the award. "I owe a tremendous amount to the team Rick Hendrick
put together and the work that Robbie Loomis did as my crew chief. We heard
a lot of things about how we couldn't put it all together with a new team
and new crew, but I think we proved ourselves.
It's been a very gratifying year because there were a lot of critics
that probably didn't expect us (to contend) and were vocal to that point:
'He's done, they're done, it's not going to happen,'" Gordon said.
"We certainly didn't go out trying to get revenge in that sense.
We go out trying to win races and knowing all that, it feels extremely
good." He'll be presented with the Driver Of The Year trophy at the
International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Talladega
Superspeedway in April.

Man Of The YearNEW YORK, N.Y. (December 2)- - Jeff Gordon
was named True Value Man of the Year at the Winston Cup awards ceremony
in New York City. The annual award is given to a driver
for their unselfish charitable efforts during the course of the year.
There were four nominees for this year's award, Gordon, Rick Mast,
Bill Elliott, and Mark Martin. Gordon, who won the award in 1996,
became a two-time winner. The $100,000 was to be divided evenly between the
driver and the charity of his choice. Gordon announced that the full
amount would be donated to the Jeff Gordon Foundation which
was set up by Jeff and Brooke Gordon to benefit the
Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Marrow Foundation, The
Hendrick Marrow Program, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and
the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Indiana.
"Brooke and I had the opportunity to start the Jeff Gordon Foundation
a couple of years ago," Gordon said. "We've been able to do some tremendous
work through our foundation to raise a lot of money for children and families
that are in need and are struggling with some type of illness-- leukemia
or some type of cancer. We've been so blessed in our lives to have the opportunities
that we have to be able to give back. This means a lot to not only
give the $50,000, but the additional $50,000-- because I'm not going to accept
any of it-- back to the Jeff Gordon Foundation and continue to give
more and more to these great organizations that we support."